Getting the Goods for Christmas

We all know it’s Christmas any minute now, which means it’s time to spoil yourself with quality produce. So where do you find the goods to get the festive season going?

Phillippa's

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Brunetti's

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Photography: Caleb Ming

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Published on 15 December 2010

by Hilary McNevin

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BREAD

Sourdough, ciabatta, spelt, rye, flatbread, fruit bread, baguette, rolls. Lathered with butter, dipped in oil, soaked in gravy to mop up your plate, served with cheese and chutney. It’s what you like that will be the staple on the table and we’re lucky in Melbourne to have a plethora of good bakeries:

Is single origin chocolate your preference? Or are you all about milky sweet or dark and intense with 70% cocoa? We need chocolate on the festive table because there’s absolute desire for a sweet little something to finish off the enormous meal you just devoured so we’ve found a few great shops for you to get your spoils:

If the bird’s your thing at Christmas time, it’s worth trying to get the best quality bird your budget allows. Organic turkeys are available but free-range is more accessible. If you do want an organic bird, ring about now to order as the one consistent message from retailers is: order in advance.

Platters of fresh prawns, oysters and crays are about as traditional as turkey and ham down under, so what’s looking good right now? Snapper from the Bay is great this time of year; Ocean Trout makes a great centrepiece in the table when baked whole; oysters are coming into the last of the season before spawning starts, so be careful and picky when choosing them. Where to buy:

Luscious, smoky Australian hams aren't commonplace here. We seem to tend more toward a balanced salty, commercial palate with ham rather than a distinctive regional character or quality. Still, there are decent hams to buy if you don't want imported, and if you have a butcher you shop at regularly and trust they'll happily get one in for you. Otherwise, seek out free-range or organic where possible, ask questions about the provenance of the animal and how it was farmed. Farmer's Markets are great for this as you're talking to the producer but they are often unavailable at this time of the year, due to advance orders. Where to seek and buy:

If you fancy a tipple at Christmas time, do it in style. If your budget allows bubbles from France, lucky you, but there are some great sparkling wines from Tasmania and the Mornington Peninsula is producing some lovely chardonnays at the moment. The beauty of wine is, like all culinary adventures, is that it’s best to taste the wine and talk to retailers, suppliers, email winemakers if you can, the key is to taste and ask questions and have fun! Cheers! Where to buy: